This week in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the renowned ensemble Puerto Flamenco from Seville will present a flamenco spectacle “PURO”, as part of the Dansar Dance and Arts Festival.
The show will take place in Mostar on September 17 at the Croatian Cultural Hall “Herceg Stjepan Kosača” at 8:00 PM, in Sarajevo on September 19 at the Bosnian Cultural Center (BKC) at 8:00 PM, and in Tuzla on September 20 at BKC, starting at 7:30 PM.
“PURO” presents to the audience various facets of flamenco, from powerful rhythm and defiance to nostalgia and intimate emotion, but the uniqueness of the performance is reflected in the space it leaves for improvisation.
“We want to convey to people the real, raw energy of the flamenco, the kind that is most intensely experienced in Seville’s peñas and tablaos. ‘PURO’ inherently leaves a lot of room for improvisation. Musicians and dancers breathe like one, listening to one another and reacting to glances, movements and rhythm, so often things happen that none of us planned,” said percussionist and Puerto Flamenco co-founder Andrej Vujičić.
According to him, the improvisation in flamenco requires years of work, a high technical level, and good knowledge of complex rhythms and signals through which artists communicate with each other on stage.
Dancer, choreographer, and co-founder of the ensemble, Francesca “La Chica” Grima stated that the artists are looking forward to meeting the audience in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We are very excited about the tour and are looking forward to performances in Mostar, Sarajevo, and Tuzla. I am especially happy that we have a chance to visit with our family, present the art of flamenco to the audience, meet the people, and of course, try Bosnian food,” Grima said.
As part of the Dansar Festival program, the flamenco lovers in Sarajevo will have a chance to participate in a masterclass led by Francesca Grima. The workshop will be held on September 18, and the number of participants is limited.
Puerto Flamenco was founded in Seville in 2004, and over more than two decades of work, it has built an artistic expression based on traditional flamenco and a contemporary approach to stage performance.
The ensemble performed at numerous festivals and venues around the world, among which are the Bienal de Flamenco de Seville, Festival de Jerez, WOMAD, Sziget Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, QPAC Theatre in Brisbane, Pittsburgh Guitar Festival, and Malta Arts Festival.
This year’s edition of the Dansar Festival and the guest appearance of the artists from Spain were supported by the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Embassy of Spain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the City of Sarajevo, and the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board – Visit Sarajevo.
Tickets for the shows in Mostar, Sarajevo, and Tuzla are available via the ENTRIO platform, as well as at point–of–sale locations at the venues, the organizers said.
